Pep Guardiola quits to take a break

The demands have been great and I have not been able to rest much,” he said. “You can only recover by resting and getting away from everything

Pep Guardiola

The Spanish coach has been strong- ly linked with a move to Chelsea this summer and has even been tipped as

a possible England manager.

Butafterannouncinghis departure from the Nou Camp in the wake of Barca’s La Liga and Champions League disappointment, Guardiola says he needed some time off.

“The demands have been great and I have not been able to rest much,” he said. “You can only recover by resting and getting away from everything.

“I don’t know what I will do now but I will not go straight into coaching.

“I have given everything and I have nothing left and need to recharge my batteries.”

Guardiola, 41, took charge at Barcelona in 2008 and has won three Spanish titles, two Champions League finals and two FIFA Club World Cups after building, possibly, the best club side in history.

But he has looked drained in the past week as Chelsea beat Barca in the Champions League semi-final days after Real Madrid’s 2-1 win at the Nou Camp crushed their La Liga dreams.

“Four years is an eternity for a coach of ­Barcelona,” added Guardiola, who will be replaced by his assistant, Tito Vilanova.

“It would have been a bad idea to continue. Perhaps it would not have gone wrong but I have the perception that it would. It is my time to go.

“When I was appointed, I started jumping like a little kid. To be able to take charge of the ‘A’ team was unbelievable. Time has taken its toll and I rise each day and don’t feel the same.”

Barca stars including Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Victor Valdes and Carles Puyol attended Guardiola’s press conference, giving him a standing ovation as he left the room. However, Lionel Messi admitted he was too emotional to join his team-mates.